Front wheel axle mounting



July 31, 1951 c. GERST FRONT WHEEL AXLE MOUNTING T 1 I mm m m 5 EL R m m m w. 5 M WW 5 S I 3 \mm mm c w x w w m I M Q. M7

July 31, 1951 c. GERST 2,562,542

FRONT WHEEL AXLE MOUNTING Filed Nov. 5, 1947 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 11E. 4 F15 5 F INVENTOR.

July 31, 1951 c. GERST 2,562,542

FRONT WHEEL AXLE MOUNTING Filed Nov. 5, 1947 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR.

Patented July 31, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Y b 2,562,542 1 1 FRONT WHEEL AXLE-MQUNTING- Chris Gerst, Detroit, Mich, ss gnbitt rhef Transmission & Gear Companyf ljearborn, of Application November 5, 1947, Serial No. 784,270

3 Claims. (01. 2805112 This invention relates in general to self-propelled vehicles and more particularly, to self propelled go-carts of the type used for transporting, persons and loads in manufacturing plants, etc. I The primary object of the invention is the pro vision of a self-propelled, sturdy and economical go-cart constructed to include a wheeled chassis with a frame member formed by a transmission housing and a tubular member secured to said housing and forwardly extended therefrom to permit the frame memberto rotatably support in its transmission housing a rear axle and pivotally support at the exposed end portion ofits tubular member the axle sections of a split front axle.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a self-propelled. go-cart constructed to include a wheeled chassis with a frame member formed by a transmission housing and a tubular member secured to said'housing and forwardly extended therefrom to permit the frame member to directly mount on its transmission housing an engine and pivotally' support on its tubular menr br the axle sections of a split front axlecoupled with'a steering mechanism attached to'the tubular member.

Fig. 3 is a front view of the right steering, knuckle; and v 7' ,Fig. 4 is a front the split frontaxle. l g 7 Fig. 5 is a front view of the left section of the split front axle; and

Fig. 6 is a frontview of the left steering knuckle.

view of the right section Fig. 7 is a rear view of the frame member show ing the transmission housing mounting the engine and the operating lever arrangement for the transmission, clutch brake arrangementj and Fig?! is a transversal sectional viewthrough the transmission and. its housing.

Beferring now in detailto the drawings, numeral 2 denotesa self-propelled go-cart, the wheeled chassis [3 of which embodies a frame member 4. This frame member consists of'a transmission housings and a tubular ine'mber 6, which is extended into the bore 7 of'acylindrical extension "8' on housing 5 andrigidlyjse cured to'said extension by a pin 9. Housing 5 A further object "of" the invention is the pro vision of a self-propelled go cart constructed to include a wheeledchassis with a frame member;

formed by a transmission housing and a tubular member secured to said housing and forwardly extended therefrom to permit the frame member to be supported on driving wheels secured to a rear axle mounted in the transmission housing, and wheels rotatably mounted on the axle sections of a split front axle pivotally mounted on the exposed end portion of the tubular member.

With the aboveand other objects in view, the invention has certain other marked superiorities which radically distinguish" it from presently known structures. These improvements or superiorities embodying certain novel features of construction are clearly set forth in the following specification and the appended claims; and a preferred form of embodiment of the invention is hereinafter shown with reference to the accompanying drawings forming part of the specification. Y

- In the drawings: s

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view through a self-propelled go cart constructed in accordance with the invention.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation, partly broken away, of the go-cart shown in Fig. 1.

supports in bearings Ill and. H" a"differential drive IZfthe shafts I4 and I5 of Which mount on theirouter ends drive wheels l6 carrying rub beitires "ll, so that housing 5 forming the rear end of frame 4 is directly supported by wheels [6. The outer end of frame 4 is supported by wheels i8 yieldingly coupledwith tubular mem-' her 6 by'a'split frontaxle I9.' This axle hasits axle sections zfl'and 2| rotatably mounted "on tubularmember' 6, axle section 20 with a. single circular'bearing portion 22 being freely rotatably s'leeved'upon'tubular member 6, and axle section- 21 with two spaced bearing portions 23 being freely rotatably sleeved upon said tubular me'mberfso thjat'bearing portion 22 of axle sectionisjarranged between the bearing portions 23 of axle section 2!. -Apair of collar members 24' ontubular member 6', secured thereto by rivets 25, prevent axial shifting of bearing portions 22 and: 23; Each of the thus mounted axle sections sup-. ports asteering knuckle 26, 26', respectively, by means of a kingpin 21, 21'. This king pin issecured to the respective steering knuckle by pins 28 and extended through a perforated projection 29, 29f on the respective axle sections 20, 2|. The steering knuckles are connected with each other 'by a spacer bar or tierod assembly 30 andisupport on their spindles 3! front wheels I8.- ,Rotationiof front axle sections 28 and 2 on tubularfmember 6 "is; counteracted by compression springs'32f32";These springs are seatedon the respective steering knuckles and engaged at their upper ends with rearwardly extended projections 33, 33 on a bracket member 34 which has its lower central portion 35 welded to tubular member 6. In addition, front axle sections 20 and 2| are positively stopped from excessive relative rotary movement with respect to each other by a bolt member 36 which is extended through oppositely arranged upright 31, 31 on front axle sections 20 and 21'. Bolt member 36 supports a compression spring 38 arranged between uprights 31, 31', which spring cooperates with springs 32 in yieldingly counteracting rotation of front axle sections 20 and Zion tubular member 6. The steering knuckles 26, 26' are set in motion by means of a drag link assembly 39 and the tie rod assembly 30, and for such purpose steering knuckle 26 includes a lever 40 coupled by drag link assembly 39 with the steering lever 4| of a worm drive in a gear box 42, which drive is actuated by a steering shaft 43 in a steering column 44. Steering shaft 43 extends at an inclinat-ion upwardly and forwardly of split front axle l9 and has attached to it upper end a steerfrigwheel 45; Gear box 42 and steering column 44 are supported by a bracket member 46 welded to tubular member 6 'of frame 4. This bracket member additionally supports levers 41 and 48 controlling a clutch transmission and brake arrangement 49 directly mounted on housing 5. Thus, housing *5 in addition to engine 59 supports by means of a bracket 51a clutch arrangement 52 "and a brake arrangement 53; As shown, housing 5 includes perforated bosses 54 to permit proper attachment of engine to said housing by bolts 55. The clutch'shift lever 41 controls theclutch arrangement 52 and for such purpose is coupled over bell crank device56- and lever 51 with a collar member 58 actuating clutch arrangement 52. Lever 51 i's'attached to a shaft 59 pivoted in bearings 60 on bracket member 5|. shaft supports a lever 6| actuating the brake arrangement 53 when'lever 5'! is shifted from neutral position 'in either direction a 'indicated by double arrow 62. The gear shift lever 48 is coupled over bell crank device '63 with a lever 64 which controls the transmission and therewith theratio of speed of crank shaft 65.

, Preferably; as shown, the 'rear portion of the go-ca'rt is covered by a hood member 66 and the frontj'portion of Such cart has mounted on its raised 'platform' 61 a cushioned seat 68 with a back rest 69 which seat i arranged to permit operation of steering wheel 45 andclutch and gear shift levers '41 and 48 when the driver rests on such seat.

ff-Ihe described construction of frame member 4 and its mounting on rear wheels {6 and front wheels 18 provide properyielding support of the frame member by its supporting wheels. This is particularly true for the front portion of the go-cart which supports the driver'seat and the controlling levers for the clu'tchand gear mechanism. Thus, this front portion of the frame member, being supported by a split front axle with individually sprung axle sections 20 and 2|, will pass with its wheels over rough spots without excessive or troublesome jars on the frame member and the steerin mechanism, and the frame member, in its entirety being composed of a transmission housing and a tubula r member forwardly extended therefrom, will provide properly located supporting means for proper rotatable support of the front axle sections, the rear axle, the engine, the clutch transmission and brake devices, and thus permit distribution of all weights for quick and easy handling and proper traction of the go-cart.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In a go-cart including as a frame an elongated tubular member extended longitudinally of said go-cart, an elongated bracket member rigidly attached to the front portion of said tubular member and extended crosswise thereof, a split front axle including oppositely arranged axle sections mounting on their outer ends on king pins steering knuckles and swiveled with their inner ends to said tubular member, axially thereof below said bracket member, coupling means yieldingly connecting the swiveled inner ends of said axle sections with each other for limited yielding movement with respect to each other, and compression springs seated on the said steering knuckles in axial alignment with their swivel axes and engaged withsaid bracket member-to yieldingly counteract movements between-the axle sections and the tubular member in any swivel F position of said steering knuckle.

'2. A go-cart as described in claim 1, wherein the inner ends of the axle sections ofthe'split front axle'include bearing portions 'sleevedupon said tubular member, and upright portions arranged adjacent to said bearing portions in opposed relation with respect to each other, and wherein bolt and spring means yieldingly connect the said upright portions with each other and yieldin'gly limit relative movements of the axle sections with respect to each other.

3 In a .go-cart including as a frame an elon-' gatedtubular member longitudinally extended of said go-cart, a split front axle having oppositely arranged axle section mounting on their outer ends on king pins steerin knuckles and provided at their inner ends with bearing portions sleeved upon said tubular member for swivel connection therewith, coupling means yieldingly connecting the bearing portions of said axle sections for limigted movement with respect to each other, an

elongated bracket member secured to said tubular member crosswise thereof directly above said split front axle and compression springs seated on said steering knuckles and engaged with said bracket member for yieldingly spacing the outer ends ofsaid axlesections,fr m said bracket member.

CHRIS GERS T.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this. patent:

- UNITED STATES PATENTS 

